Politics: Dabbled in Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties in early years; founding member of Reform party and its first chief policy officer; ran unsuccessfully for Reform in 1988. First elected to Commons as Reform MP in 1993, but did not seek second term. Elected leader of Canadian Alliance, March 2002; elected MP for Calgary Southwest, May 2002; elected leader of new Conservative Party of Canada, 2004, after helping to secure merger of Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties.

Quote: “I think if you look on balance I think this is a centre-right government. … We tend to favour free enterprise and markets over government intervention. Low taxes over high taxes. We favour family tradition. We’re strong supporters of our traditional allies.”